The Wolves Archive

[KiwiWolf61]

Hadn't realised (or remembered) at the time how many assists Bully had.
Also how many fucking great strikers have we had over the years. In those clips we sometimes had Bully, Goodman and Robbie Keane all on at the same time!

And all in the 2nd tier.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Hadn't realised (or remembered) at the time how many assists Bully had.
Also how many fucking great strikers have we had over the years. In those clips we sometimes had Bully, Goodman and Robbie Keane all on at the same time!

Dougie Freedman alongside all three in 97/98 too

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Dougie Freedman alongside all three in 97/98 too

Pity about the midfield.

 

[sycophantia]

It feels like most of my almost 60 years Wolves obsession we've often had good strikers, also midfielders sometimes but rarely good defenders.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

It feels like most of my almost 60 years Wolves obsession we've often had good strikers, also midfielders sometimes but rarely good defenders.

I agree.

In my time (ie close to 60 years) I'd nominate Parkin, Munro, Lescott, Boly, Saiss and Cody (for his Nuno years and leadership) as top defenders. Otherwise it's pretty slim pickings, especially compared to the strikers we've had.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I agree.

In my time (ie close to 60 years) I'd nominate Parkin, Munro, Lescott, Boly, Saiss and Cody (for his Nuno years and leadership) as top defenders. Otherwise it's pretty slim pickings, especially compared to the strikers we've had.

Kev Foley for his first couple of years

Mark Venus a personal favourite of mine

 

[sycophantia]

Kev Foley for his first couple of years

Mark Venus a personal favourite of mine

I liked Veno, I also thought Shirtliff was excellent in his short time for us.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Oh and Keith Curle. I bloody loved Keith Curle.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Kev Foley for his first couple of years

Mark Venus a personal favourite of mine

Can't comment re Mark Venus as I never really saw him play in the 1990s but it would have been in the 2nd tier (albeit in a time when the gap between the 2 top tiers wasn't as pronounced as it is now).

Foley was good and I nearly added Jody Craddock (for his seasons 08/09 to 10/11) but I'd have them in the tier (that word again) below the ones I'd suggested before.

I suppose my judgments is based mostly on performances in the top tier.

 

[sycophantia]

I agree.

In my time (ie close to 60 years) I'd nominate Parkin, Munro, Lescott, Boly, Saiss and Cody (for his Nuno years and leadership) as top defenders. Otherwise it's pretty slim pickings, especially compared to the strikers we've had.

Yeah Munro and Parkin were club legends, always felt McCalle was a bit of a weak link in that era.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yeah Munro and Parkin were club legends, always felt McCalle was a bit of a weak link in that era.

Before my time but where would you rank Geoff Palmer?

(Another very nice fella)

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Yeah Munro and Parkin were club legends, always felt McCalle was a bit of a weak link in that era.

100% agree re John McAlle.

Lovely bloke from what I can gather but even at the time I always thought he was the weak link in the Wolves defence in the 70s.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Before my time but where would you rank Geoff Palmer?

(Another very nice fella)

Good and uncompromising - a solid top tier full back (not outstanding).

 

[sycophantia]

100% agree re John McAlle.

Lovely bloke from what I can gather but even at the time I always thought he was the weak link in the Wolves defence in the 70s.

Saw McAlle at a charity event a few years ago, he didn't have much to say apart from not being interested in football really, had no knowledge of anything football related since his playing days.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Saw McAlle at a charity event a few years ago, he didn't have much to say apart from not being interested in football really, had no knowledge of anything football related since his playing days.

Interesting . . . after football he became a landscape gardener.

Maybe he was like Alan Gilzean who it transpired never liked football (despite being a top player for Dundee and Spurs in the 1960s and early 1970s).

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Today's update:

George Ndah: Wolves Goals

I've always been a fan of George Ndah. He had that unique ability to run at defences with great pace but he was also cursed with extreme bad luck in the injuries he suffered which curtailed his career.

For me, his form and goals in the second half of the 2002/03 promotion season was pivotal in the form turnaround by Wolves.

Wolves fans always bemoaned the absence of Matt Murray and Joleon Lescott in the 2003/04 PL season, but George also missed the entire season as well due to injury. Who knows what may have happened if all three could have played that season.

In fact, after 2002/03 he didn't play again until the 2005/06 season where he managed just 16 appearances and after he suffered a serious knee injury at Sheffield Wednesday in December, failed to make a return to first-team football.; Ndah announced his retirement with immediate effect on April 28th 2006.

His total record at Wolves was 19 goals in 92 appearances, all of which are included in this compilation.

Next week I have scheduled a short compilation of goals by Mark Kennedy. He only scored 14 goals for Wolves but most of them were rockets.


On another note I finally started work on the new website last week.

Site architecture and pages had already been designed so it was a case now of committing to a hosting site/domain/plan which I have now done.

Menu structure has been completed and my son is now working on the look and formatting of each page type.

I reckon in a 1-2 weeks time I'll be able to start uploading/linking the 2,000+ videos !

Of course, one of the advantages of having a separate website from the YouTube channel is that there will be 35 new matches from season 09/10, 10/11 and 11/12 which YouTube won't let me upload (last weekend I sourced another 8 from the 11/12 season - shock horror). In addition, I'll be able to upload my video cut of the PL matches from 18/19 onwards, plus goal compilations for Neves, Jota and Jimenez. I might even do one for Matt Doherty .

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Today's update:

God's Footballer: Peter Knowles

The story of Peter Knowles is one of English footballs’ most unusual, given the dramatic decision for him to quit the game to pursue his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness that brought a premature end to a career that was just about entering its prime.

As a young lad at the time it was something which I found incomprehensible and his final match against Nottingham Forest was the most surreal and bizarre game I ever saw. Wolves went three up and should have scored six but then Forest came back to score three of their own and had a couple of clear cut chances to win the game as it ended in a three all draw. As the game ended Peter trotted off the field almost floating on air as he bade his farewells to the crowd and the game.

My best friend at the time adored Peter after he visited him in hospital and we would often team up at the local park at Codsall with him being Knocker and myself being The Doog as we tried to replicate the exploits of our local heroes.

He had played for England Under 23s and was said to be on the verge of a full cap although I could never quite see it. Peter was never the type of player in terms of flair, skill and temperament that would have suited Alf Ramsay in his England teams.

In addition, how would Wolves have fared with Peter playing for them in the early-to-mid 1970s when Wolves were really knocking on the door for major honours ? To be honest I don't think it would have made that much of a difference simply because Wolves at the time never lacked goals or attacking threats - their achilles heal was their leaky defence. It would have probably delayed the rise of Kenny Hibbitt as well who eventually filled the gap left by Peter by 1971/72.

Peter Knowles’ decision to quit Wolves to pursue his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness shocked many but he never repented and he has led a fully content and happy life, something which surely all of us strive to achieve but something which he has succeeded in. He has consistently stated that he has never regretted giving up football.

In my near 60 years of watching Wolves I'd rate Peter alongside Robbie Keane as the two most naturally talented players ever to play for Wolves with Peter probably shading it as he played the majority of his career in the top flight.

Looking back now after over 55 years since his last game I have come to admire him hugely for his courage and conviction in sticking to his beliefs.

I would have loved to compile a goals compilation for him but there is simply a tragic absence of footage of him playing, so I cobbled this together finishing with stills and his goals complemented by Billy Bragg's soulful folk ballad God's Footballer (which is about Peter) and which featured on his 1991 album Don't Try This At Home.

Peter Knowles total record at Wolves was 61 goals in 174 appearances.

 

[Tony Towner]

Just been chatting to my mate at Derby. Keith Downing is going there. I take it you don't have the footage for a tackle montage? He didn't know he was in my Top 5 all time players.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Just been chatting to my mate at Derby. Keith Downing is going there. I take it you don't have the footage for a tackle montage? He didn't know he was in my Top 5 all time players.

Not on the radar although always open to suggestions - I'd need quite a few recommendations (eg Corica's rare tackle that led to Bully's sublime goal away at Norwich).

I'm sure Dan (the walking Wolves encyclopaedia) could come up with a few.

 

[Sniffer]

Just been chatting to my mate at Derby. Keith Downing is going there. I take it you don't have the footage for a tackle montage? He didn't know he was in my Top 5 all time players.

I recall Bobby Robson being at Molineux to watch Bully (could have been a 5-0 v Portsmouth) and commenting that he was impressed with the redhead in midfield. I suppose he did have a red face when playing. Along with Kevin Francis and John Gayle he arrived in league football after representing Mike Oak Rovers.